NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 27: A traveler walks past a newly-opened TSA Pre-check application center at ... [+]
TSA PreCheck may be the least exclusive club that’s actually worth joining. More than 99 percent of travelers who apply are admitted into the expedited airport screening program, according to TSA spokesperson Jenny Burke.
Last year, 1.8 million travelers applied for PreCheck – a 12 percent jump up from 1.6 million in 2017. At a "less than 1 percent" rejection rate, that means fewer than 18,000 travelers were denied admission into the program in 2018.
Most travelers sign up for PreCheck to reduce wait times and hassles at airport security checkpoints. While the traveling masses are required to take off their shoes and belts and remove liquids and laptops from carry-on bags, those with PreCheck can sail through a much shorter line with shoes on and laptops packed.
PreCheck is poised to become an even more valuable commodity next year. Airport security lines are expected to get longer in 2020, reported The Washington Post. The TSA expects a 4.5 percent increase in airline passengers in 2020 but is only getting a 2.5 percent bump in staff numbers. You don’t have to be a math genius to figure out that more travelers plus fewer TSA officers means longer wait times at checkpoints.
PreCheck applicants must be American citizens or green card holders and pay a non-refundable fee of $85, which covers five years of travel. But there are ways to enroll in PreCheck for free. For example, over a dozen credit cards will reimburse cardholders for the fee and some hotel loyalty programs, like Marriott Bonvoy and IHG Rewards Club, will let members redeem points to pay for the fee.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 27: Travelers walk past a newly-opened TSA Pre-check application center at ... [+]
You can start the enrollment process online and then stop into any of 1,200 enrollment centers around the country for a 10-minute in-person with an agent, who will take your fingerprints and verify a few basic documents (a photo ID and proof of citizenship or immigration). Following a background check, most applicants learn they’ve been accepted into the program within 10 to 30 days.
If you’re among the unlucky 1 percent deemed ineligible for PreCheck, you’ll receive a letter from the TSA providing the reason for disqualification along with instructions on how to correct the record if the information is not accurate. “Approximately 90 percent of these applicants do not respond to TSA correspondence regarding their potential disqualifier and are determined to be ineligible,” said Burke in an email.
And keep in mind that travelers admitted to the program can get bounced if they commit a violation. Burke says the top reason for suspension is arriving at an airport screening checkpoint with a firearm (loaded or unloaded) or a knife.
Even so, if you’re rejected during the enrollment process or suspended after committing a violation, you can always contact the TSA and ask for reconsideration. “We advise passengers that reconsideration may take up to 30 days to complete. However, assuming there are no extenuating circumstances, they are typically completed within 10 business days,” says Burke.
READ MORE:
